title: Dendritic cell phenotype can be improved by certain chemotherapies and is associated with alterations to p21(waf1/cip1.).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dendritic cells (DCs) possess the capacity to elicit immune responses against harmful antigens and have been used in DC-vaccines to stimulate the immune system to engage cancer cells. However, a lack of an appreciation of the quality of the DC that is used and/or the monocyte from which it is derived has limited their successful incorporation into treatment strategies.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the current study, we explored the relationship between cytokine receptor expression on the monocytes and its subsequent development into DCs. The significance of p21 expression in DCs during differentiation was also studied, as was the effect that manipulating this with chemotherapy may have on DC quality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DCs separated into two groups based on their ability to respond to a maturation stimulus. This quality correlated with a particular receptor profile of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin 4 expressed on the monocytes from which they were derived. DC quality was also associated with p21 expression, and artificially increasing their levels in DCs by using some chemotherapy improved function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, these studies have highlighted a role for common chemotherapy in activating p21 in DCs, which is a prerequisite for good DC function.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Sciences, Department of Oncology, St George's, University of London, 2nd Floor, Jenner Wing, London, SW17 0RE, UK, w.liu@sgul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Wai Man
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Katherine Ann
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Mareike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Angus George
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Dalgleish
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D015847:Interleukin-4; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor